I felt that this book started quite slowly and it took me a while to become invested in the story. Although I did enjoy it, I felt that there could have been more explanations, I was left with a lot of questions, even by the end of the book.

This was my first Murakami book and although I did find it quite beautifully written, I think I may have been better starting off reading one of his other books first to get used to his style.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this ARC.

I have 'paused' this read for now. It's not that it's bad read but I'm struggling, at almost 40% in I feel as though I've been reading the same thing over and over and over again. The story so far has felt repetitive in both ideas and expression. When you consider that The City and its Uncertain Walls was originally a short story that was adapted to a longer form novel, the repetitiveness makes a lot more sense. Perhaps it should have stayed a short story. I will come back to The City, perhaps in the new year but for now I think it's not for me.

This 'review' will not be posted anywhere until the book has been completely read.

Thank you to Random House UK, Vintage, Harvill Secker and Haruki Murakami for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This translated Japanese novel by Haruki Murakami was certainly very different to what I had expected. I saw mention of libraries and fantasy in the blurb and so expected a light fantasy type novel, but the best way to describe it would be magical realism- with every day settings sitting alongside the fantastical and bizarre. It was originally published as a short story in the 80s and has only now been worked up into this full novel!

It’s the sort of novel you could study at A-level- there are so many different layers to it with hidden meanings and subtexts. Is the walled off town real? Or is it just the character’s walled off consciousness? It can be read in so many different ways.

I also found it really interesting that the author chooses not to name most of his characters, including the hero, and yet you get to know him so well. I think the only two named characters are Mrs Soeda and Mr Koyasu who are both Librarians- read into that what you will…

If I’d known how strangely bizarre the book was before I started, I may not have read it, but then I would have missed out on a new reading experience, so I’m glad that I did! In some ways it reminds me of ‘The Starless Sea’ by Erin Morgenstern, so fans of that may enjoy this!

I realised after starting that I have read one of Murakami’s books before- a short book called ‘The strange library’- weirdly bizarre but very entertaining- the title says it all. Murakami is certainly an accomplished writer. If you’re looking for something a little out there and completely unique- give it a read!

Haruki Murakami's highly anticipated new book, his first in six years, revisits a familiar town where a Dream Reader examines dreams and shadows disconnect from selves. This poignant love story and the quest for understanding serve as a tribute to books and libraries while reflecting our strange post-pandemic reality.

The unnamed protagonist, a 45-year-old man mourning his first love—a girl who vanished in their teenage years—navigates a world shaped by grief. Together, they envisioned a city beyond a wall, which she claimed represented her true self. Through magical events, he enters this alternate realm, where the girl, eternally 16, works in a dream-archiving library but cannot recognize him. As a dream-reader, he grapples with the need to sever ties with his shadow to escape this world. Back in the “real” world, he finds solace as a librarian in Fukushima, where a mysterious young savant and an enigmatic old bookworm may offer him another chance.

The book explores the relationship between physical existence and consciousness, suggesting that body and shadow may be inseparable. The city symbolizes the subconscious, while the wall represents the boundaries between worlds.

Murakami also reflects on Gabriel García Márquez's magical realism, positing that there is no divide between reality and fantasy. This exploration invites readers to consider the power of imagination and the nature of existence. The City and Its Uncertain Walls is a rich, thought-provoking journey of loss, love, and the boundaries of reality, solidifying Murakami's status as a master storyteller.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.